Marking another milestone in their final year of high school, 12th-graders plan to gather at the Crowne Plaza hotel on A1A for the annual senior breakfast on Friday. The tradition began as a way to encourage seniors to attend school on a day many likely would skip.

“We used to do it because it was FCAT testing,” Senior Class sponsor Paula Ladd said. “The rest of the school was testing and the seniors would bond at the breakfast, but now they just bond and do breakfast,”

Senior class historian Megan Turingan said she anticipates a high turn out and a positive experience.

“I expect it’s going to be really well done,” Turingan said. “We only have a little over 10 people who didn’t buy tickets, which is better than last year that had 50 people who didn’t buy.”

With the elimination of FCAT testing, seniors use the opportunity to grow closer to their classmates and homeroom teachers.

“I’m excited to take pictures with my friends,” senior Mary Elizabeth Jobson said. “I feel like that will be the most exciting part.”